Aviation Inspired Baby Quilt

Hello friends! Just wanted to drop in and share my latest finished project. :)

Some friends of ours are having a baby and they both happen to be pilots, so when I stumbled across this pattern called "In Formation" using "flying geese" blocks, I just knew it was the one I had to make. I used leftover fabric from my sister's wedding quilt (recognize those colors?), and used some fat quarters to make a scrappy backing. I took some pictures in our beautiful, blooming, GREEN front yard. Enjoy!

This picture cracks me up because it looks like Wes could be naked underneath. Haha. ;)

Quilting detail. I like how it looks like swirling air and clouds.

Scrappy backing!

I love this fabric that gives step-by-step directions on how to make a paper airplane. How perfect is that?

And I've been dying to use this "mice in race cars" fabric ever since I bought it way back when, so a baby boy's quilt seemed like the perfect opportunity.

 Our friends should be receiving this quilt any day now. I can't wait to hear what they think!

Mini Swap Brain Freeze

I'm having a bit of a quilter's "existential crisis" over here in regards to my Alison Glass mini quilt swap!

I've always loved browsing quilt swap hashtags on Instagram because I love seeing the thought and creativity that go into each and every quilt. But it seems those hours of browsing have backfired because I am drawing a complete blank when it comes to ideas for this upcoming mini swap and I'm starting to feel the pressure. The quilts aren't due to be shipped until the first week of June, but I know that will sneak up on me if I'm not careful. I thought I had an idea of a pattern that I wanted to use, but I immediately started second-guessing it and didn't think it was complicated enough or special enough. I know I'm not supposed to try to be something or someone that I'm not, but it's hard not to because I want to make something truly special. Drafting original patterns has never been my strong point, and maybe it never will be, but I would love to be able to interpret my partner's inspiration and suggestions into something that she will like. 

Do any of you have trouble homing in on a design? How do you translate inspiration (from pictures, other quilts, nature, etc.) into an actual quilt design? How do you find a good balance between your taste and your partner's tastes? Have you ever participated in a swap and wish you would have done something differently?

I would LOVE to have some input! :)

Black and Gray X-Plus Quilt

I have another quilt finish to share with you all! 

My youngest sister, Mandi, has a birthday coming up in April and she requested a black/gray/white quilt. As much as I love wearing black and gray, I didn't have a lot of it in my fabric stash, so I had to start shopping around for the most economic way to get scraps. One of my Instagram friends (@leilagt) was kind enough to send me scraps from her stash for an amazing price! I also knew I wanted to try the X-Plus quilt pattern (re-sized to 12" finished blocks), so here is the final product. Drum roll please... 

Wes and I went exploring around back roads today and I kept my eyes peeled for some good photo shoot locations. As soon as I caught a glimpse of this rundown brick and wood building, I made him do a u-turn in the middle of the road to go back and take advantage of it. :)

I knew I wanted to add a pop of color, and this teal Doe fabric was so "me", I had to include it.

I got the backing fabric from IKEA for $5 a yard (can't beat that!) and my longarm quilter actually recommended using the aquamarine colored thread and I am SO happy with the results!

I usually like my quilt gifts to be total surprises for the recipient, but A) my sister had a hand in picking out the fabric and she saw some of my finished blocks when she came out to visit in January, and B) I literally could not wait to post pictures of the finished product. :)

I'm so happy I was able to finish this quilt on time. I recently started a job at Ace Hardware and I'm working 35-38 hours a week, so my quilting time has definitely become more rare and precious. But before you feel sorry for me, it's been great to have a reason to get out of the house AND my husband told me yesterday that my legs and abs have become more toned since I started working three weeks ago! (I guess standing and walking IS better than sitting around the house all day...) Haha. :) I hope everyone reading this is finding the time to enjoy their hobbies just like I am. Every time I finish a project, I am so excited to share it with my online quilting friends. :)

PS - I'm going to my first Modern Quilt Guild meeting tomorrow night in Philadelphia. I'm going to bring this quilt and my Cuzco Crossroads quilt for show and tell. Wish me luck!

Cuzco Crossroads Quilt

I have another quilt finish to share with you all! I'm calling this one the "Cuzco Crossroads Quilt" because the fabric line is Cuzco by Kate Spain and the pattern is called Crossroads from the Moda Bake Shop.

 I love the striking geometric pattern and the contrast between the white and the vibrant colors.

 The swirling clouds quilting pattern really blends the sharp corners and adds great depth to the quilt.

I auditioned a few different binding color options, but the gray really seemed to tie everything together without distracting from the colors in the quilt.

This quilt is now my third official Etsy listing! I had a lot of fun making this quilt, but the blocks were pretty time-consuming. Aside from cutting out all of my pieces in the beginning, it took me 45 minutes to an hour to piece each block. This was definitely a factor in my final price determination. I still have a hard time putting a price on my quilts, but I can only hope that the person who purchases them will truly appreciate the time, effort, and love that went into each and every one of them. Etsy sales or not, I'm going to keep making. I can't wait to share my newest projects with you! :)

Goodbye Gracie

Today is a sad day in the Womble household. We had to say goodbye to our beloved dog, Gracie. We only had her for a year and two weeks, but she was the best dog we could have ever asked for. We found out on Friday that she had chronic kidney damage and by today (Thursday), her condition had worsened beyond what they could fix. The vets did everything in their power to make her better, but we knew we couldn't let her suffer any longer. Our hearts are hurting, but we know she's at peace now and hopefully one day we'll see her in heaven (I mean, how can dogs NOT go to heaven, right?). It's already strangely quiet around the house, but I'll smile every time I think of her adorable face. We miss you so much already, Gracie. Thank you for sharing the last year of your life with us.